This happens if the ESD is not running. I think what happened is that I'd logged into `gdm' as root, and it changed the ownership of the /tmp/.esd/socket to root.root. So when I logged in as myself (or on the console without ESD running) `esd' would not start; it says it cannot open the socket. (I rm'd the socket dir, and then it started, setting the socket karlheg.karlheg.) To repeat: Build an XEmacs with `esd' support. Log in on the console, or into X, _but_do_not_start_ `esd'. Start `xemacs -vanilla -f load-default-sounds', then push `C-g', `C-x lsdkfj [TAB]', or anything that would play a noise. I have not looked at the code... I'm too busy with other studies right now. I guess it ought to be able to handle `esd' not being there, huh? Hope it's not hard to fix.